Saturday, August 29, 2009

The Mission: Break All Comfortable Boundaries
















In a month, I'll be heading out to Pisgah National Forest for a hiking trip that promises to obliterate all of my senses in a barrage of arboreal splendor. And don't forget knocking me out of my comfort zone!

The hike is 31 miles, mostly very steep, primitive, and I'll be packing everything in and out. To complete the hike, I have to make 10 miles per day, which would be no great concern if it wasn't for the altitude and terrain.

Thankfully, I've been getting in a lot of strength training so I feel better than I have all year.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Sounds GREAT! You go!
I love to read about other active people. You are probably in better shape than I am right now for a Kilimanjaro climb...wanna come?

Gladis said...

Awesome! Lemme grab my passport! ;-)

suburban farmwife said...

not going by yourself are you?

Anonymous said...

Two things: if you are planning on hiking with boots, wear them in now. Boots are highly recommended to prevent ankle injuries.

Second, go very slow the first few days. Pushing yourself too quickly too soon can end a hike, or make it miserable. Remember that hiking in even a slightly different altitude in the foothills is much different than walking at oxygen-rich sea level.

Most of all. Have fun. Hiking is awesome. Unfortunately, I can never find anyone to hike with me. I always end up hiking and backpacking alone.

Gladis said...

Thanks for the suggestions Justin!

My boots are ones I've had for a couple of years and I've worn them in Buffalo, Colorado, and at the archaeology dig in Pensacola.

Breaking them in is one thing I don't have to worry about, I know they are comfy, but I'm thinking about getting some nice insoles for them.

Hmm...

Anonymous said...

New insoles would be an excellent idea. I usually replace mine a few weeks before hiking, so I can have a chance to wear them in before hiking.

If you'd like some recipes for packing your own food, let me know. I usually make my own, and vacuum seal it to save space. I could also show you how to make an ultra-lightweight camp stove with about $1 worth of scrap (a few soda cans, some foil, and wire mesh).